Intellectual property law is good. Excess in intellectual property law is not. This blog is about excess in Canadian and international copyright law, trademarks law and patent law. I practice IP law with Macera & Jarzyna, LLP in Ottawa, Canada. I've also been in government and academe. My views are purely personal and don't necessarily reflect those of my firm or any of its clients. Nothing on this blog should be taken as legal advice.

Saturday, July 04, 2009

Canadian Copyright Consultations - Summer of 2009? You Betcha!

A Town Hall Meeting (The Guardian)

No - she didn't resign to devote herself to copyright reform in Canada.

But, speaking of town hall meetings, rumours are rife about a summer consultation on Canadian copyright law.Here's a recent Billboard report, by Robert Thompson, who looks at the issue from the standpoint of the record industry, as he usually does. (How I miss Larry Leblanc, who was tended to look at life from a broader and much better and more balanced journalistic perspective).

Any announcement had best come soon and I sense that it will. We're now well into July. There will be difficult logistical questions as to timing, format, etc. Live town halls or online, or both? Not to mention that it's already well into summer time, when the livin' should be easy.

It's hard to see how any live town hall meetings or other live events can take place over the summer at this stage, especially cross country.

In any event, let's hope that the Government avoids one obvious trap that some will likely advocate for, namely that an interested person or organization should be able to make a confidential submission to this process.

If there is to be an online consultation exercise, all bona fide submissions in either official language that are on point and not profane should be posted in a transparent and timely manner, right after whatever closing date is established. There is no reason why any such submissions should be sheltered by claims to confidentiality.